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The 'bride' leaves after the mock wedding organized for diplomats and guests in the middle of a desert in Ordos Joey Votto Reds Jersey , Inner Mongolia, June 27, 2015. [Photochinadaily] A woman dressed as a bride says goodbye to her ‘mother’ at a mock wedding organized for diplomats and guests in the middle of a desert in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, June 27, 2015. [Photochinadaily] Diplomats on a cultural tour to Inner Mongolia visit dairy giant Yili's factory in capital Hohhot on June 26, 2015. [Photochinadaily] A performance by the National Art Troupe in Hohhot Joe Morgan Reds Jersey , Inner Mongolia, June 26, 2015. [Photochinadaily] Diplomats, guests and officials pose for a group photo at the Genghis Khan Mausoleum in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, June 27, 2015. [Photochinadaily] Guests exchange snuff bottle Homer Bailey Reds Jersey , a Mongolian tradition, with the 'groom' at a mock wedding organized for diplomats and visitors in the middle of a desert in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, June 27, 2015. [Photochinadaily] The ‘bride’ and ‘groom’ leave after the mock wedding organized for diplomats and guests in the middle of a desert in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, June 27 Drew Storen Reds Jersey , 2015. [Photochinadaily]
If a marriage ceremony offers a snapshot of culture then a Mongolian wedding showcases it in Technicolor.
I was provided a peek into the ritual at an event staged for guests during a tour organized by the Ministry of Culture to Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
The first thing that caught my eye at the mock ceremony was the 'bride'.
She wore a red silk dress on which intricate embroidery in green and orange ran from her shoulders to her ankles. As she entered the yurt she bowed, revealing a head-dress with coral and turquoise beads sewn around it.
Two bridesmaids wearing bright yellow dresses with strands of beads partially covering their ears and cheeks placed their hands on her arms and guided her to a silk cushion on a red and white carpet.
With her eyes still lowered, she sat between them.
A couple, faux parents of the bride, sitting on cushions nearby looked at her and then the 20-odd others present. The wide smiles and nodding of heads signified all of them were happy with the occasion.
There are some places in the world that offer so much that it becomes nearly impossible to pick and choose. Inner Mongolia is one.
From grasslands where horses and camels roam free under the blue sky to the Genghis Khan mausoleum to the economic and hi-tech centers, it has everything.
Although the marriage ceremony wasn't real, watching the 'groom' in elaborate robe Devin Mesoraco Reds Jersey , hat and riding boots arrive on a horse with friends on each side in the middle of a desert in Ordos city and then leave with his bride galloping on her horse is a sight worth experiencing.
Unlike so many other places, Inner Mongolia has somehow managed to retain its traditions and simultaneously transform itself into a modern region with world-class infrastructure and industries.
On the one hand, there is Yili, the eighth-largest dairy company in the world, in Hohhot, capital of the region and home to three million people.
The giant manufactures more than 1,000 products ranging from milk and ice cream to yogurt Dave Concepcion Reds Jersey , earning Hohhot the title Dairy Capital of China. The company's revenues were nearly $10 billion in 2014.
On the other hand, you can drive down to grassland, less than a two-hour journey, and taste fresh horse milk or homemade cheese prepared by Mongol women in their yurt. A piece of advice: Go slow on the horse milk or you will be bolting faster than the animal to the toilet.
If Yili is the economic crown of Hohhot, then the National Art Troupe is its cultural mecca.
This should be on your must-visit list even if you are on a short trip.
Mongolians have a particular style of singing called Khoomei, or throat-singing. In it the singer produces two distinct tones simultaneously: One low pitch and the other high.
The National Orchestra, based at the Troupe Chris Sabo Reds Jersey , has some of the masters of the art among its 70 singers and performers.
This balance of tradition and modernity is not limited to Hohhot. Ordos, a city with a population of two million, is another place that manages to pull this off.
Although it's a three-hour drive from the capital, the Yinshan Mountain range that runs along the expressway makes the trip worthwhile.
The first stop for most tourists in Ordos is the Genghis Khan mausoleum, a huge complex in the middle of which is the Memorial Hall flanked by East and West halls.
In the center stands a 13-feet-tall white statute of Genghis Khan. It's only when you are in front of the great emperor with his eyes staring down at you that you realize what a monumental feat it must have been to capture such a large swath of land so many centuries ago and then rule over it.
Although his body is not there as it has never been found, there are enough relics, including armaments Brandon Finnegan Reds Jersey , to better understand the man, his empire and that period of history.
If after walking at the huge complex you start feeling hungry then just head to any restaurant to fill your stomach with a whole roasted lamb, a Mongolian delicacy, and top it off with yogurt and milk tea.
From Genghis Khan and roasted lamb, head to Kangbashi, the swankiest district in Ordos. Its impeccably landscaped roads, giant statues of horses and huge plazas are unlike anything you have ever seen. Even more awe-inspiring is that it’s so clean that streets Billy Hamilton Reds Jersey , sidewalks and thoroughfares glisten like the lobby of a five-star hotel.
Some places worth a visit are the Ordos Museum, a 41,000-square-foot blob highlighting the diverse culture and traditions of Inner Mongolia, the next door Library of Ordos, designed to look like books stacked on a shelf and a the Working in an environment where alcohol is served is a delicate busin. |
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